Emptying & Moving My Huge Hamster Cage

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Helpful Hamster Care Resources
🐹 Safe & Unsafe Food For Hamsters
➤ ontariohamsters.ca/education/...
(the most trustworthy & reputable list I have found, cites multiple sources & uses scientific studies to debunk myths about certain "unsafe" foods)
🐹 Hamster Central Forum ➤ hamstercentral.com
🐹 Das Hamster Forum ➤ das-hamsterforum.de
🐹 Hamster Clubhouse Forum ➤ hamsterclubhouse.com/forum/
🐹 Hamster Welfare (Care Guide) www.hamsterwelfare.com
#hamstercare

[@greenwarrior8971]

Thirsty work investigating a clean house!! I love that sense of achievement when you drop them in and they start exploring 😂

[@SomethingAnimal]

Makes all the work worth it to see her reaction!

[@DisneyDahling]

Okay but I actually needed this video now! I'm planning to move with my hamsters in a few months and I was really curious what other hamster owners were doing, I really appreciate for documenting the process throughoutly!

[@dagnolia6004]

i love the kitty "bonks" during the move. spinning the exercise wheel in the setup section was a STELLAR touch. i could watch "the lemon god" explore for hours..... thanks so much for this vid

[@Jjjjjjjjjjj202]

Most beautiful setup I've ever seen omg it looks like such a fun space for a hamster!

[@rkreznik]

SomethingAnimal: Nothing more difficult than moving a hamster cage. Aquarium Owners: Hold my beer.

[@shellym79]

I could hear David Schwimmer saying "Pivot!" When you got stuck. 😂

[@SomethingAnimal]

Lmao!! 😂😂

[@alwaysjale]

I went looking for this comment 😂 I ❤ Ross

[@Ylime00120]

Lemon's commentary was spot on! 😂😘👌 Thank you for gracing us with your wit and presence, oh Lemon God! 🙏

[@moda78z]

She so stinking cute! And great job, Ollie! 🎄☃️🎅🏼

[@AshleyNicole2260]

When Lemonade is exploring at the end, all i could hear in my head was Jack Skellington "Whats this? Whats this? What is this?"

[@SomethingAnimal]

Haha, oh I wish that wasn't copyrighted it would be perfect! 😂

[@eriathwen1320]

🤣 Sat here waiting for you to vacuum up the little spot you missed when the cage was empty until I realised it was a tiny piece of hay on my phone screen 🤦‍♀️ Lovely to see so much of Lemonade ❤ and nice to see a return of the peen..*cough* the mushroom hide 😅

[@CalvinOriginal]

that looked liked a gargantuan task of epic proportions! half that cleaning effort would have had me floored! I'm exhausted just watching... although looks like the Lemon God approves - which is always a bonus. great video. happy new year.

[@sharkonesega]

So much love. Wow. Seems at the end it recognize the old house

[@anna-mareeeksteen5094]

Hi, this is the most amazing hamster cage I have ever seen! Well done.

[@belindaj1953]

She was happy to be back 🎉

[@bubblegummel]

You're other half carrying it up the stairs without shoes on gave me anxiety 😂

[@SomethingAnimal]

I won't tell you how many times we almost dropped it 😂

[@angelascott2475]

What an amazing set up ❤

[@LunaSilver90211]

Awww She looks like my hamster Bianco, just with black eyes insted of red.

[@dianneperry1741]

What a lucky hamster 😊

[@Darren_Phillips]

from the initial setup, how many days or months later did you clean?

[@Travnitsattt]

He's having a great life!

[@elizabethcrocker6418]

Hello Is there the part for putting the glass on to the cage please

[@jackieparfitt7925]

Looks amazing

[@pamfalla3688]

This is essentially a doll house lol

[@NatiaMae]

Did you move to a different house, or only moved the cage to a different room? Love your hamster’s setup. If I was your hamster, I’d be over the moon.

[@SomethingAnimal]

Same house, but April of last year my pet room became badly damaged after a water tank on the roof burst so I ended up building the cage downstairs in the living room which is where it's been ever since. The pet room was repaired early this year and I've just been delaying moving the cage up there since I knew it would be a massive job, very glad it's done now though and we finally have our living room back! 😄

[@MLovelyPets]

Looks very hard to clean the cage how did you do it 😮😢

[@lenkan5064]

A mansion in hamster world, amazing😊!

[@n.d3217]

love watching your videos

[@dong.p1542]

high level bro !!

[@jobdavidescobarcervantes8059]

What potting como¡post do you use for your hamsters?

[@sounddilemma6474]

Congrats on finally moving her back!!! Was she ok spending a night without her wheel?

[@SomethingAnimal]

She seemed to be, I had a camera on her in the bin cage and after a few failed escape attempts she disappeared into her chamber hide and didn't come back out. I was expecting her to protest a lot more than she did 😅

[@sounddilemma6474]

@@SomethingAnimal I see! Thank you for letting us peasants know ;) Hope her majesty enjoys the new location of her kingdom and the winter holidays!!

[@amyNikki5013]

Oh if Dan had only closed the lid when you was in the cage just long enough for us to have the meme of "wild Ollie has been captured "

[@mMeFlora]

did you make the carrier yourself and do you have a video on how you made it?

[@moda78z]

Btw How the heck is Harrison doing?! 😂❤

[@SomethingAnimal]

He's off on his holidays right now, but I'm sure he'll be back and causing trouble in the new year! 😜

[@Tauriel108]

Im trying to build with wood but i curves how do you do it

[@maxsiatfarm4455]

Nice work clean👍👍😍😎😎

[@jirikocman]

Hello, how long it says before cleaning/replacing bedding is needed? Thanks.

[@SomethingAnimal]

Are you asking how often I clean this specific enclosure, or how often any enclosure should be cleaned? If you're asking how often I clean this one I answered a similar question further down in the comments, I'll copy/paste my reply from there as it might be helpful for you. "Generally speaking hamster cages aren't supposed to be fully cleaned out as the constant change is too stressful for hamsters, it destroys their burrows and is just an unnecessary task. There are a few exceptions like if your hamster gets ill with something very contagious or gets mites. In those cases everything in the enclosure has to be sterilised for the wellbeing of the animal. Other than that a healthy hamster in a suitably sized enclosure never needs a full clean, only partial cleans and regular spot cleaning. I typically follow the 1/3 cleaning method which is the most popular way to maintain a hamster cage, you remove and replace just 1/3 of the substrate at a time. People with larger enclosures than mine may chose to only clean 1/4 at a time and those with smaller cages might do 1/2. The bigger your enclosure the easier it is to maintain and the less often it needs cleaning. The type of substrate you use can also impact how frequently it needs to be cleaned out, I use a mix of safe shavings, hay, and tissue which allows this specific cage to last 3 months between cleans. Spot cleaning is the main method for keeping hamster cages clean the rest of the time. That involves regularly (maybe once a week) cleaning out the toilet corners, any little spots that your hamster has soiled, and disinfecting flat surfaces and wheels. Some people might also remove and replace the very top inch of bedding every few weeks to easily clean out all the little droppings and any uneaten food. Everyone's methods vary slightly based on enclosure size, substrate type, needs of the individual hamster, and preference of the owner, but as a general hamster care rule there's no reason to fully clean out the cage of a healthy hamster"

[@jirikocman]

@@SomethingAnimal great, thanks so much

[@hamster_7578]

wow!!! cool❤️💜💛💚💙😍

[@ElohiSilverEarthVentures]

Just curious but whags the dimensions on this? And did you make it?

[@SomethingAnimal]

Yes it's my own build, it's 125 x 71cm and 91cm tall excluding the wheels :)

[@leah66]

Lemonade: NO JUSTICE NO PEACE (minutes later) Lemonade: oh sweet a seed

[@benjaminarellano530]

What are the dimensions?

[@hermionethehamster]

❤❤❤

[@Ali-wt8cu]

Now thats a cage

[@ElohiSilverEarthVentures]

Oh wow.

[@charlottestevens9352]

How did u go a year without fully cleaning the cage im guessing u took half out and refilled

[@SomethingAnimal]

Generally speaking hamster cages aren't supposed to be fully cleaned out as the constant change is too stressful for hamsters, it destroys their burrows and is just an unnecessary task. There are a few exceptions like if your hamster gets ill with something very contagious or gets mites. In those cases everything in the enclosure has to be sterilised for the wellbeing of the animal. Other than that a healthy hamster in a suitably sized enclosure never needs a full clean, only partial cleans and regular spot cleaning. I typically follow the 1/3 cleaning method which is the most popular way to maintain a hamster cage, you remove and replace just 1/3 of the substrate at a time. People with larger enclosures than mine may chose to only clean 1/4 at a time and those with smaller cages might do 1/2. The bigger your enclosure the easier it is to maintain and the less often it needs cleaning. The type of substrate you use can also impact how frequently it needs to be cleaned out, I use a mix of safe shavings, hay, and tissue which allows this specific cage to last 3 months between cleans. Spot cleaning is the main method for keeping hamster cages clean the rest of the time. That involves regularly (maybe once a week) cleaning out the toilet corners, any little spots that your hamster has soiled, and disinfecting flat surfaces and wheels. Some people might also remove and replace the very top inch of bedding every few weeks to easily clean out all the little droppings and any uneaten food. Everyone's methods vary slightly based on enclosure size, substrate type, needs of the individual hamster, and preference of the owner, but as a general hamster care rule there's no reason to fully clean out the cage of a healthy hamster :)

[@the_animal_ark]

Aahhhh cute

[@trollrud]

what type is the safe wood? 😊

[@SomethingAnimal]

Currently using spruce though sometimes I use aspen, just depends on whats available to me at the time :)

[@datbadassunicorn2832]

How the heck do they not escape? Mine escapes his so I had to get a different one..

[@waltercrawford3519]

Would you empty the entire cage to clean it? How often?

[@SomethingAnimal]

The only reasons to entirely empty an enclosure for cleaning would be to sterilise after a contagious sickness (eg. wet-tail, mites, etc) or after the passing of the resident to prepare the enclosure for a new animal. The current standard for keeping hamster enclosures clean is to only replace 1/3 or 1/4 of the substrate at a time depending on the size of the enclosure. The frequency of cleaning also depends on the size, but can range anywhere from every few weeks for very small enclosures to several months for large enclosures (this one gets a 1/3 clean every 3 months approx). In between these partial cleans spot cleaning is done regularly to keep the toilet area and nests hygienic. A partial cleaning method with regular spot cleans ensures the hamster's home stays safe and smell-free without disturbing their habitat too much, removing their territory scent or regularly destroying their important burrow systems, which helps them to always feel safe, calm and unthreatened in their familiar surroundings :)

[@waltercrawford3519]

Thank you for the response! I learned something new

[@pawang_game_id]

Pleasent to see

[@jessa9877]

How do you keep the wood houses from smelling like pee... even after coating them with plastitoke they stink.

[@gergomolnar9093]

What is te music name begining of the video ?

[@marcuswong1797]

Thtis hamster has a better home than me

[@MEsqueda]

In my next life i hope i come back as one of your hamsters

[@pummisinha3718]

lemonade got a mansion

[@LenaApelsina]

I just wanna be a hamster 😂lol

[@sophieverattes7895]

Dans les bas comme ça un âme sœur peut pas trop bien respirer il faut un bac couilles puisque ça devient une cage tu vas omelet ils ont des cages super bien

[@ilsivonecctv6603]

Terlalu bagus

[@deliamak]

Big scooper might save time

[@SomethingAnimal]

It would, but this is the only time I've ever had to clear the entire thing out (and wont need to again until Lemonade passes) so I don't think it's worth buying a tool that will only get used once every 2-3 years :)

[@alisablue5326]

пощястило хомячку

[@user-qv6nv2fk2r]

😍👍💥

[@lycoris0102]

are hamster better living solo? unlike guinea pigs?

[@SomethingAnimal]

Yes adult hamsters in captivity typically live safer, happier and healthy lives when housed alone. Syrian hamsters in particular do not have social needs and thrive in solitude in both domestic and wild environments.

[@kaleyking]

You built that cage right?

[@SomethingAnimal]

Yeah I custom build all of my cages

[@Asexual_Individual]

The more I see cages like this, the more I realise how much I unintentionally abused my hamsters growing up by keeping them in a standard cage.

[@It_dee_ot]

Same, makes me feel bad for them 😔

[@carysbowen2228]

The cat boinked their noggin

[@anasqai]

This is soft, if hamster are aggressive maybe it is their wish for a nice food or not? I remember they are like "if buy from shop = nice to all humans" issit like that or not? Maybe if from shop all friendly to humans? Means Someone ever put a wild hamster into my cage in the past? A replaced thing? Just now because of white colour imagine a rat then like imagination of hybrid of hamster and rat was happy from imagination. Rat ever short tail or people wrap to look like hamster or not? Like "fat hope" stuff. Like phenomena, paranormal story stuff kind of happiness.

[@SDF193]

i see the ikea

[@user-pq9se4po1d]

11111111

[@Schleichshet809]

Please watch out with platforms like that! I can't tell exactly how high up they are just from the video, but nothing in the cage should be more than 15cm tall/high for a syrian. Anything taller could hurt them if they were to fall or jump off (and hamsters have horrible depth perception so they can and will walk off of platforms and such)

[@SomethingAnimal]

My enclosures are always designed with safety as the first priority, all shelving is either well within the safe drop limit (which is 20cm for syrians, 10cm for dwarfs when the landing is soft) or anything higher than that will be constructed with a sturdy barrier to prevent any accidents. Individual behaviours are also taken into account, I don't install high shelves in a new enclosure for an unknown hamster, only after getting to know the hamster's behaviours and quirks will I make a decision about whether high levels will be appropriate and safe for them. Hamster who have demonstrated risky behaviours, or jumping habits are not given high shelving. Hamsters with able-bodies who demonstrate the ability to navigate shelving and drops safely, and who I believe would benefit from the additional physical enrichment earn the new shelving. After installation, if the hamster in question ever demonstrate that they are no longer able to use that shelving safely then it is simply removed from their enclosure. In this specific set up the only shelf that is slightly above the safe drop distance is the long shelf at the back. This was installed after several months getting to know Lemonade's behaviours and determining that it would be in her interest to have that additional area. The shelf is equipped with a strong barrier (it's clear perspex which may make it harder for you to see on camera) so there is no possible way for her to unintentionally fall. Lemonade shows sound judgment when it comes to deciding if she will jump from certain heights, and has never given us a reason to believe that she will intentionally act against her own safety (though some hamsters will which is why I make these decisions case-by-case). Lemonade is now a senior hamsters so we're anticipating changes to her physical abilities, and her enclosure will continue to be adjusted accordingly I hope that clears up your concerns, I've been building enclosures and raising hamsters for quite a long time and I'm careful about prioritising their safety while ensuring they get to live physically active and enriched lives :)

[@M_i_k_e_y_l_a]

Cute but never get rid of bedding fully the hamster will be more stressed with fully new bedding, it’ll need some of its old bedding so it’s scent will be in there 😊❤

[@SomethingAnimal]

I know you mean well, but it's really, really annoying when people choose to not watch a video fully and jump to incorrect conclusions instead. It was mentioned more than once in the video that half the substrate was saved and returned to the enclosure in order to keep her home smelling safe and familiar.

[@Xxx_strwberry]

Not being rude but I can’t believe u spoil a hamster Wich don’t live long I wish I could spoil mine

[@SomethingAnimal]

I wish I could spoil my hamsters too, but my hamster care is quite basic. Their shorter lifespan doesn't make them less deserving of a good quality life, it actually makes their time much more valuable than ours since they have so little of it.